


He Whispered Secrets in the Night

by BiconicAce



Series: Nightmare Scenarios (and the stories they preceed) [2]
Category: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Because Sammy Stevens everyone, M/M, Or Is It?, Spoilers, Spoilers up to King Falls Chronicles 3, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-07 13:50:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16409660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiconicAce/pseuds/BiconicAce
Summary: There was that small insidious hope though, that whispered the Rainbow Lights took people from their cars. So, what if?The chance was miniscule, but hope was pretty much all Sammy had left once all of his leads stalled out.Except he wasn’t even fucking there.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I definitely added two sentences after hearing today's episode.

There was very little that had hurt in the past two years since he'd gone numb in the wake of Jack's disappearance like realizing Ben hadn't wanted him there when they initiated the plan to rescue Emily. 

It was a multilayered hurt. On one level, Ben hadn't trusted him. He’d honestly thought they'd moved past that after last year's “Who is Sammy Stevens?” incident, but he'd been wrong and now his world was pain again. On another, it was the pain of Sammy revolving his world, hanging his very continued existence on his best friend, and have that friendship thrown back at him just because he couldn't open his fucking mouth and tell Ben about man that he'd loved and lost.

It was his own doing, really. He'd done this shit to himself by being the same coward he'd always been. Unable to tell the world who he was in a rinky dink little AM station in northern Florida. Unable to protect Jack properly from all of the small town’s small minds. Unable to tell Ben about the man he'd loved and lost because saying it out loud meant Jack wasn't coming back for them to come out together like they'd always promised as they curled up in the dead of night. So he'd kept his mouth shut for far too long, trying to keep a promise to a ghost.

Ben had taken that and extended an outstanding amount of patience, really. 

After Sammy had gotten over his initial anger that Ben could think he'd had something to do with Emily's disappearance, he'd been struck with an all consuming sadness. If Sammy couldn't even be a good enough friend to not be considered in kidnapping the love of Ben's life, how could he ever be a good enough person to find Jack?

He'd come closest to giving up in the following weeks, the last vestibules of hope draining from him like water through a sieve. Would have too, had it not been for Ben singing his heart out, practically pulling words straight from Sammy's own heart. He didn't want to give up, no part of him ever wanted to give up on finding Jack, but even then he'd given up on  _ saving _ Jack.

Now, his best chance was to join Jack wherever he'd disappeared to. 

There was that small insidious hope though, that whispered the Rainbow Lights took people from their cars. So, what if?

The chance was miniscule, but hope was pretty much all Sammy had left once all of his leads stalled out.

Except he wasn’t even fucking there. He wasn't even trusted to be present for the rescue and it made his very being sick to know just how awful he was.

Sammy had been cut out of the rescue, just like his parents had cut him out of their lives when they found out he was gay. Just like Jack had cut him out when he tried to get his fiance to see help for his growing obsession with King Falls. Just like Lily had cut him out of the police investigation of Jack's disappearance.

Echoes of “fake”, “fraud”, and “failure” rang in his ears, making him dizzy. Shouts to stop bothering Jack when he was working and how important this was, couldn't Sammy just  _ see _ . Memories of crying at night as he watched Jack fade away into madness over some god forsaken town. The realization that if he'd been better then maybe Jack wouldn't have left still tasting like ashes on his tongue.

Jack deserved someone who would have fought harder. Someone who could have helped him instead of falling apart when he had vanished into thin air.  But he'd had Sammy, a coward who’d refused to believe him before it was too late. A fucking idiot who was too scared Jack would leave and take his whole world with him, to stop exactly that from happening. 

Sammy had failed Jack so spectacularly, and now he'd failed Ben by not being good enough and he would keep failing them until eventually he died and relieved them of his pathetic existence.

Maybe if Sammy had let Jack go, back in Florida when the man had all those shining opportunities but had passed on them to be with Sammy, he'd still be alive and well. Sammy wouldn't be, but his life paled in comparison to Jack's. It always had. 

Debbie saying Emily wasn't meant for this world felt like a nail in the coffin. He'd considered maybe being able to tell Ben after they got Emily back and everything calmed down. If anyone would even begin to understand, it would be Ben. The pain of losing someone like that and not knowing what happened reflected in them both. Debbie said Emily wasn't supposed to come back though, and the veracity of it meant little because he couldn't tell Ben that, much less add to his burden with Sammy's own problems.

That stupid hope, though, sprung eternal as Benjamin Arnold led a group of heroic people to shoot down a UFO with a ray gun that killed electronics. 

It died just as swiftly, because of course Jack hadn't been there.

A town like this? Any one of a hundred things could snatch you from your car. Sammy certainly wasn’t lucky enough for Jack to fall out of the sky by chance.

The universe hated Sammy Stevens far too much for that.

___

A tiny voice below him pulled Ben from his stupor. Sammy was calling for him down the phone, voice modulated and distant from the phone he’d dropped to the ground. Sammy was on the phone, because Sammy was safely tucked away in the station, reporting the news instead of getting caught up in Ben’s reckless plans and possibly getting hurt. 

Ben had no idea what he would do if Emily hadn’t been in that ship  _ and  _ Sammy was hurt in the process of shooting it down. It had been a very real possibility, and the idea of both of them hurt at the same time made something in Ben seize up, heart feeling like stone at the unimaginable scenario. He’d almost lost it when Sammy was mad at him before Christmas. 

It had torn his heart in two that Emily was missing, but Sammy’s anger had felt like lighting fire to the remaining halves. 

He would swear up and down that he thought it was important this get reported but deep down he knew exactly why Sammy wasn’t here.

He’d excluded Sammy from his plans with little guilt. Leaving Sammy at the station kept him safe in case the plan went wrong. It seemed callous, since he had called so many others out here but Ben knew he could keep going to help or save any of them if they got taken while Emily remained missing, but not Sammy. Let no one say Ben Arnold couldn’t be pragmatic when he really needed to be. 

And now he needed to be pragmatic once more. He needed to pull himself together long enough to get everyone to the hospital. So he gathered his thoughts to concentrate on giving Sammy some instructions. 

“Sammy, there’s a best of tape in my mailbox, pop it in and meet us at the Big Pine Memorial, okay?”

He had no idea if his voice was shaky and broken or calm or even coming out at all. Ben felt like he was listening to himself underwater, Emily’s revelation pulling him down into depths as yet unknown. Sammy’s reply sounded absolutely wrecked though, and it made Ben feel a little better to know he wasn’t the only one overwhelmed. 

“Yea-Yeah, I’m headed there now. You gonna be alright until I get there? Should I call anyone?”

God, Sammy was so good at this. He was nice and considerate and of course it would occur to him that there was someone else who needed to know Emily was back. This is exactly why Ben needed Sammy. He couldn't do this without his steady ground to land on.

“Cou-could you call Emily’s mom? She needs to know-”

It felt like the words were tearing through his throat, but Sammy had this. He could take care of them now like he always did and Ben could fall apart, for just a night before he had to buck up and keep trying.

“Will do, buddy. See you there.”

He didn’t want to hang up, but he had to if Sammy was going to get there and he needed Sammy to be beside him as fast as possible. Needed reassurance that at least his best friend was still there, alive and well. The man was his rock, steady and unyieldingly present. Stable in the storm that was Ben’s world.

“Okay, go stick to Troy until I can get there.”

Ben nodded, brain getting too foggy to realize Sammy couldn’t see him. Fortunately, he also let out a quiet thanks before hanging up to do just that before staring absently at the phone for too long until he heard Troy shout, “Wait a minute, I think there’s someone else over there.”

Someone else? A pilot maybe? Someone with answers if they were lucky. Ben really hoped they were lucky. 

Once he had something to focus on, a goal to achieve, Ben darted towards the figure with renewed determination. It wouldn’t be enough to get Emily back, they had to prevent it from happening again. If this guy had answers Ben would find them.

The guy was as banged up as Emily and Tim (how _had_ he gotten there?), various shallow cuts littering his skin and dirt patching across his body. He was dark complected, handsome, and probably tall, of a height with Sammy rather than the gangly tree that was Troy, but he couldn’t actually tell from where the man was sitting. 

He wasn’t a local, that was for sure. Ben had never seen him before even just around town. It would make sense to that an outsider would be behind the kidnappings rather than anyone local.

Ben should probably have felt more reluctant about confronting a potential enemy, but if he didn't have this to concentrate on, he may just fall apart at the seams. 

Troy had the man propped up as Ben approached with caution. He may look dirty and banged up (and were those pajamas he was wearing?) but he could still be dangerous. Every glance at him though, made Ben's heart sink further. This was another victim of the rainbow lights and while he was glad they had helped him, the guy wouldn't have any answers for them about who and what had taken them. The guy was literally in his pajamas, it wasn't exactly the uniform of evil minions.

The stranger wheezed a little as he coughed out, “Wha- Where am I? Who are you?”

Did this guy have amnesia too? Could- could the amnesia have been a side effect of the transmogrifier? Tim hadn't had amnesia when he returned, though Tim being cradled in Mary's arms a ways away threw quite a few things about his initial return into question. That was suspicious as all hell. 

Ben could feel his mind try to latch onto the mystery to distract from the ache in his heart. Part of him wanted to let it, but there was another pressing issue to address. The unknown man could be a victim or a danger. They needed to figure out which.

The guy Troy was trying to coax up and towards the arriving ambulances was growing hysterical and Ben was uncertain whether getting closer would help Troy or distress the man further. Seeing Troy practically carrying the guy, Ben decided that helping him speed up the move would probably be best so the guy could get to actual help.

“How long has it been? How long have I been gone!?”

Troy was replying to the panicked questions with his most soothing officer voice, all kindness and concern that came so naturally to the caring deputy.

“Well I can't say how long but it's February 15th, 2017. Now can you tell me if it hurts anywhere?”

“2017!?”

Suddenly, dead weight was pulling Troy down and it was only Ben finally shoving his way under the guys other elbow that kept them from hitting the dirt.

The rest of the walk to the ambulances was quieter, despair and distress hanging like a miasma over them. They got him to one of the first responders and suddenly Ben was adrift without anything to occupy his hands and mind besides echoes of Emily asking who he was as kindly as she could muster.

He barely heard Troy ask the man his name.

“Jack. I’m Jack Wright.”

“Well Mr. Wright. Someone is gonna be awful happy to see you soon. I know it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was a failure, but Ben wasn't and Sammy couldn’t begrudge him for being a better person than Sammy ever was. He'd saved Emily from impossible circumstance and he knew that was the difference between them. Ben was a hero. Sammy was a fucking liar who couldn't even find, much less save, the love of his life.

Sammy pulled into the hospital with a heavy sigh. He felt unsure as to whether he would be able to do this. Whether he could see Emily returned and not be overwhelmingly jealous. He was so goddamned selfish. To look at his returned friend and feel sad he still hadn't found Jack.

How the hell could he look at the amazing return of his friend by his brother and be anything but grateful? Just because he wasn't good enough to find Jack, didn't mean no one else could find their own loved ones.

He was a failure, but Ben wasn't and Sammy couldn’t begrudge him for being a better person than Sammy ever was. He'd saved Emily from impossible circumstance and he knew that was the difference between them. Ben was a hero. Sammy was a fucking liar who couldn't even find, much less save, the love of his life.

Walking into the emergency waiting room, Sammy could not see any of his friends there yet. He scanned for a place to sit and found that there was a semi-private area around a half wall, separating the waiting friends and family from entering patients. He had only just sat down when Troy tugged Ben through the doors ahead of the stretchers, tall frame giving him height to leverage Ben around the barrier and into Sammy's reach.

Ben had instantly crumbled when Troy passed him into Sammy's arms.

Sammy may not be worth a damn, but he could do this. He was intimately familiar with missing someone you love and he would put that experience to use. If nothing else, he could help Ben through this so he wouldn't be alone as Sammy had been before making his way to King Falls. Sammy after Jack had not been a pretty sight, but Ben Arnold had eventually made it a little better. He could do his best to return the support until Emily was back to rights.

“She didn't remember me.”

Ben was strung out, fraying at the edges like he had done back in June. Sammy would need to calm him down soon lest he actually fall apart again. Ben had been through a lot tonight. His best friend had made an incredible victory only to have it snatched from him by fate.

He vaguely heard the sound of the medical staff go through the entrance with their new patients as Ben tucked himself in against Sammy tighter. Sammy made to turn them away, his back to the entrance so he stood between Ben and what pained him. He'd have to try to keep himself between his friend and any bad news for the night. There was only so much bad news the kid could take at once. Shooting down a UFO to save the woman he loved from abduction and then finding out she didn't remember him probably encapsulated that amount.

Sammy made a note to direct them away from any caffeine while he was at it. Sleep was a band-aid across a gaping wound, but it was worth a shot.

The idea of finding Jack just to lose him to other circumstances was unbearable. Not that Sammy had any chance by comparison to Ben. The very idea of shooting at a fucking UFO was ridiculous, much less succeeding at it. The best he could hope for anymore was… was to join him.

He tripped over the thought this time. It was so natural, a part of his belief for months that had crept in without resistance. Hell, he'd thought it earlier tonight. That he couldn't save Jack so he would have to join him. 

Shit. He was going to do it, too. Sammy hadn’t noticed it before but he was going to figure out what had happened to Jack one day and he wouldn't be able to save him. He wasn't the kind of person who could bravely do what had never been done before with unfailing determination. The best he could hope for was to join Jack.

How long had he known this? Probably longer than he should admit.

The shaking man in his arm tugged at his thoughts. He'd need to prepare Ben for when he left. His best friend forgot to take care of himself in the midst of a mission and Sammy had taken on the task of making Ben slow down. It had been good for both of them, Sammy having someone to care for and Ben being taken care of because sometimes he was a freaking toddler who ate cereal made with unsweet tea instead of milk. Betty was good at taking care of her son, but Ben had long since figured out how to hide his distress from the woman.

Emily would be a good choice, Ben didn't like lying to her but she was in no state right now. Troy was too ready to join Ben's antics because he was a helper at heart. Mary would be great at it, but she had enough on her plate with Tim and the kids.

It was a good thing he had time. Jack's whereabouts were still a mystery and Sammy couldn't stand the thought of Jack by himself, wherever he was.

Sammy hugged Ben tighter as Troy reapproached them looking tired but happy. He drooped a little when his eyes caught Ben practically burying himself in Sammy's shoulder. He looked tired, worn in a way that Sammy felt familiar with.

No tears had sprung forth yet, but Sammy knew it was only a matter of time for all of them.

“They're being looked after. Emily's gonna get taken care of little buddy. Don’t you worry.”

Troy's hand came down on Ben's shoulder. Sammy had noticed he was good at reassuring people. Maybe it was his experience as a deputy, or maybe it was inherent. Sammy himself knew he was terrible at taking care of people. What happened to Jack was more than proof of that.

Jack had always been the one who could get things done between the two of them.

Sammy had just quietly hoped that he wasn't going to fuck up and lose the love of his life. He'd been able to provide in other ways. He could make sure they could afford to live in a more open-minded city. He could fight to keep them safe with what he had, so he did. That was all he had, though. A voice for radio, a good macho act, and a lifetime of experience pretending to be something he wasn't to survive. 

Jack had been passionate, and smart, and so damn determined all the time. It was amazing to be with him, like watching a miracle in motion up close every day. He deserved happiness. He deserved kindness. He deserved a better fucking fiance who could actually save him.

Standing with Ben crying into his shoulder though, Sammy's resolve only grew. He'd find Jack... and he would join him. If that was the best he could do? So be it. 

\---

Jack wasn’t certain as to where he was

Well, he was in a hospital and there was a forest past the parking lot out his window with a mountain looming in the horizon. So he probably wasn't in the city anymore. Beyond that? Who the hell knew. The bracelet on his wrist said Big Pine Memorial Hospital in bold font, but that was less than helpful considering he had never heard of Big Pine.

His phone was not on him, as it'd been in his car when he was taken so he couldn't exactly call anyone he knew to find out. The I.V. in his arm kept him in the small room, preventing him from finding a phone with out-of-building call privileges. Not that there was any guarantee Sammy would answer the phone if he even had the same number, but that was the only one he was pretty sure he could eventually remember correctly.

Two years.

He'd be surprised if Sammy even wanted to hear from him after two years. They hadn't been doing well in the face of Jack's increasing obsession with the supernatural. He could remember shouting at Sammy, something frantic in himself trying to push his fiance away. Something bad had been coming and Jack didn’t want to drag Sammy into it. Sammy, in turn, had met every push with pleas for Jack to get help. Begging him to pull away from this obsession before it consumed him.

_Two years._

Sammy had probably moved on. Hopefully with someone who would treat him better. Someone Sammy didn't have to leave his home for because he couldn't blend in and give Sammy the quiet life he so craved. Someone who cared for Sammy with as much consideration and support as Sammy had given him. Jack had always felt fucking useless at emotions by comparison. He’d liked to think he brought other things to their relationship.

Yeah. Brought a lot to the table with your obsession that got you fucking abducted didn't you, Wright?

Maybe it was better if Sammy had moved on. He didn't deserve a life spent chasing Jack's stupid ass. Sammy deserved the quiet, happy family life he'd whispered longingly about in the dead of night when they'd dared to talk of the future.

Sammy was going to be happy somewhere else in the world with someone else. The faster Jack readied himself for the possibility, the better. He’d call him and hear the surprise, the regret that Sammy didn't need to feel for taking care of himself.

He'd apologize for all the shit he'd put Sammy through while longingly gazing at the tattoo on his wrist. He'd fake happiness until he could actually be content with watching Sammy be happy.

A life of Sammy being just out of reach sounded like hell.

God, he hoped Sammy hadn't moved on, even if it was selfish.

Outside, the mountain loomed quiet and solemn, completely unsympathetic to Jack's plight. A radio tower blinked, using the altitude to naturally boost its signal. It reminded him of what he'd lost so he turned away instead.

\----

Troy waited until Ben had fallen asleep against Sammy’s shoulder in the hall outside Emily’s room before wandering away. He needed to pee, grab a coffee, possibly cry a little. The last 3 hours had been some of the most eventful of his entire life and he’d only kept the tears at bay by sheer force of others needing him to be strong. Now that things had calmed down, he was looking for a way to come down from the adrenaline.

Sammy glanced up as he moved away, but a casual wave and a glance at Ben had him leaning back. Troy mouthed the word bathroom at him and Sammy nodded back easily.

Troy walked down the hallway, trying to be respectful and not glance into any of the rooms but one, in particular, caught his eye. The door was open but no one other than the patient was inside. Jack Wright laid in the hospital bed, looking lonely even in sleep.

“Hey, there Mr. Wright. I was just passing by and thought I might see if you needed anything?”

The other man’s answering smile was brittle. He looked like the wrong word could send him tumbling to the ground in a thousand tiny pieces.  It made an old protective instinct rise up in Troy, the same one that had pushed him towards law enforcement.

“No thanks. I’m just… waiting to hear they got my file. Apparently, the network is slow. They can’t call my family until the files come down and I- I don’t have them memorized. Downsides of smartphones, ya know?”

He tried to laugh, but it was a sad sound that pulled at Troy’s heartstrings.

“Right. Well, Mr. Wright-”

“Please call me Jack. Mr. Wright makes me sound so old. Besides, I… suspect that since I disappeared for two years, my parents are about the only people coming to get me so I wouldn’t want to get mixed up for my dad.”

Troy would need to ask Loretta if Jack Wright could stay in the guest room until his family showed up. Loretta would say yes, she was just as ready to help anyone she could as he himself was, that’s why they worked. She’d already told him she’d be up all night making food and to bring the boys by to make sure they eat and wash up in the morning.

Besides, if there was any place that was going to be able to understand his recent abduction, it was King Falls.

When he exited the room nearly twenty minutes later, he decided to stop by the nurses' station to check on the guy's file before he went back to Emily’s room.

\----

Emily Potter was... confused.

The doctors said she’d been in an accident but that didn’t… feel quite right. Not that she could say for sure. She was tired and her memories of the past ten months were foggy at best. Apparently, she’d forgotten an entire person.

Ben,

That was his name.

He and Troy had pulled her from the wreckage of… of something. Why couldn’t she remember what it was that was crashed?

Her head hurt. Oh god, her head hurt.

Emily’s vision whited out. The bright white light reminding her of something. Something bad.

Ben was outside her room now. Trying not to pressure her into remembering but close enough to make sure she was okay and she wasn’t sure yet if that was sweet or a little creepy. It really depended on how close they'd actually been, She’d have to figure it out later though because right now she couldn't- couldn't...

Darkness replaced the overwhelming light as she fell asleep. 

\----

The night shift nurses looked tired as Troy waited patiently for one of them to have the time for him. He would do neither them nor himself any favors by being pushy. Plus, catch more flies with honey and all that.

Less than ten minutes later, the head nurse, a nice woman who Troy sees just often enough to know as an acquaintance so he didn’t have to flash his badge, managed to find a moment to pull up Jack Wright’s file and turn the screen of her computer around facing him, the emergency contact information pulled up.

But god damn if he didn’t recognize the name.

At least Jack Wright’s family was nearby, but Sammy had a lot of explaining to do about why, exactly, he was listed as their mysterious missing man’s primary emergency contact.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben Arnold woke up on his best friend’s shoulder with a crick in his neck. It wasn’t comfortable, but it felt safe and he’d been so exhausted. Sammy made a fairly decent pillow really and he briefly considered shoving the man over to make it more comfortable but thought better of it. Sammy put up with a lot of Ben’s need for contact, no need to push it.

Ben Arnold woke up on his best friend’s shoulder with a crick in his neck. It wasn’t comfortable, but it felt safe and he’d been so exhausted. Sammy made a fairly decent pillow really and he briefly considered shoving the man over to make it more comfortable but thought better of it. Sammy put up with a lot of Ben’s need for contact, no need to push it. 

His brain coming to life though made any thoughts of comfort crash and burn as he recognized the hall he was in. The hospital was bleak, they’d not had the budget to remodel in quite some time and it showed. Nothing was falling apart per say, but the entire place was eerie and bleak with age. Someone had tried to paint the halls yellow in an effort to cheer the place but the color had faded and discolored from cheery sun yellow to dull dirty yellow. 

All of the rooms were small, not having much room for anything other than the beds and a small cramped couch to sit or sleep on for visitors. They were lucky Emily wasn’t in the ICU, or they would have been forced to stay in the ICU waiting room rather than by the room. 

Emily was here. Emily was home.

Emily had been hurt in the crash. The crash Ben caused to try to save her. 

Ben didn’t know if he made a sound, but from the way Sammy’s eyes shot open and swung wildly towards him, he’d done something to alert his friend. Sammy was quickly tugging Ben back against his shoulder though, so he didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on it. 

“Ben,” Sammy said his name with a deep tone, carefully going over the syllable. He sounded like he was talking to someone he was afraid might break. Is that was Ben had become? Someone to tiptoe around, just in case something set them off.

“Sorry. I’m-I’m sorry, Sammy. We should be celebrating. Who cares if she remembers me when she’s home?”

Sammy sighed, the movement of his chest pressing against Ben’s cheek. The sound of his heartbeat was audible in Ben’s ear and he felt suddenly comforted at the assurance that Sammy was here with him. 

“Ben, you get to feel the way you feel about this. You just went through a lot to get that woman home and it threw another hurt at you, but this isn’t the end. If I know one thing, it’s that you are hard not to love, man. She loved you before and I have no doubt that Emily Potter could love Ben Arnold again.”

Ben didn’t think he could have faith in that, but if best friends were for anything it was having hope when you yourself couldn’t.

“Sorry I keep dropping my trouble in your lap. I don’t mean to.”

“Ben,” Sammy said, with a huff and a laugh, “I suplexed the mayor and made you post my bail, that’s not exactly keeping out of trouble.”

“Well, yeah. But it’s just- You’re my rock man. I don’t know how I would do any of this without you and I-”

Ben trailed off, not sure how to put what Sammy meant to him into words. It was okay though because Sammy was hauling him into a hug. 

“I love you too, Ben. You’re the brother I never thought I’d want.”

They sat in the hug for a moment, Ben feeling more stable than he had in weeks before Troy approached them with a hesitant look.

Oh shit, something had gone wrong. What was it? Emily was still in her room so it wasn’t her. Had Gunderson and his goons decided to try and do something about Ben going around them to shoot the UFO down? They were just the kind of control freaks to get mad that Ben hadn't gone through them so they could shut him down. Had Grisham done something? Maybe gotten mad about the on-air nature of the rescue? It didn't fit with his agenda to hide anything and everything related to the supernatural and/or extraterrestrial from the public. 

Hell, was Frickard causing problems? He wouldn’t put it past the little shitstain. Ben swore  to god, he would kick Frickard's ass if he tried to shove his way in here now. Emily needed rest and a distinct lack of assholes trying to pressure her into a relationship. 

God, it was just one thing after another. 

When Troy finally said something though, it was about the last thing Ben could have ever anticipated.

“Sammy,” Troy said slowly, carefully, like he was unsure how his news would be received, “I- I don’t really know how to say this so I’m just gonna spit it out. I went to check on the other guy we found and it turns out you’re his emergency contact.”

Ben barely had time to start considering the implications of that before Sammy was gone, bolting down the hall at a dead sprint towards Jack Wright’s room. 

\----

Jack was just coming down from his latest existential crisis (How would he possibly explain to Sammy that he hadn’t meant to leave? How was he going to explain UFOs to his ever skeptical fiance? Was Sammy even still his fiance? Oh god don’t fall down that hole again.) when the door to his room came flying open to reveal Sammy in the doorway.

Sammy.

His Sammy.

He’d changed so much and yet so little. His hair was longer but it was still that same shade of chestnut. His frame was skinnier but he was still the same beanpole. He was paler and with slightly more wrinkles, but he was just as handsome as ever. His eyes were tired but they stared at Jack with awe and joy.

Sammy was happy.

Happy to see Jack.

Jack’s hands stretched out towards Sammy and Sammy came stumbling into his arms. He was a solid, warm weight. Present in a way that Jack might not have believed before but now was impossible to doubt. Sammy was there, not in some far away city living an unknown life without the ex-fiance that abandoned him. 

They were both sobbing and suddenly he felt guilty for all new reasons. How in the hell could he thing Sammy Stevens would give up on him for being taken? With the man in his arms, the very idea seemed ridiculous. Sammy had more than shown him time and again just how amazing he was. Except, if Sammy hadn’t given up on him, then he’d spent the last two years with Jack’s ghost. 

“God, Jack, I thought I’d lost you forever.”

Sammy’s grip on him tightened again. Hand grasping at any part of him he could grip like he was making sure Jack was really there. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just disappeared. Oh god, Sammy, I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. If I’d just-”

“Don’t you dare. If I’d kept my nose out of things I didn’t understand-”

“Yeah, right. Like you can keep your nose out of any mystery.”

Sammy said it, smiling with a twinkle in his eye. It was a familiar pattern of banter and Jack happily fell into it. God, he loved this man so much. He had a sudden, guiltily grateful that he hadn’t been the one to go through this world without Sammy. He wasn’t sure he’d have held up this long. It was 

“Hey! I can, too! I’m a reporter, not a dumbass!”

“Uh huh. Sure. You’re great at minding your own business.”

Jack scoffed, more out of habit than anything. This was easy. Play fighting with Sammy had been a staple of their relationship since they met, it had only morphed into more affection as they moved from friends to lovers to life partners.  Sammy leaned back, hands cradling Jack’s head as Jack’s own hands came up to grab Sammy’s shirt and hold him close. 

Sammy’s voice cracked as he whispered, “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I can’t believe you’re here. How did you get to the back end of nowhere so fast!?”

Sammy coughed lightly, his cheeks pinking.

“You, uh… you didn’t leave behind a lot of other clues besides King Falls. So I… followed the lead I had.”

There was a connector there that Jack didn’t have. He wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders but eventually, he realized what Sammy had actually said.

“Sammy Stevens, did you move here!? You hate small towns!”

Sammy squinted at him like he wasn’t sure whether he should punch Jack in the arm or kiss him soundly. Jack loved that look. It usually got him laid. 

“I didn’t have a lot of leads,” Sammy stressed the syllables like the words were deeply important. Like they were a flawless defense for Sammy to uprooting his entire life on a hope and a chance.

“Aw, babe. You moved to small town USA for me?”

“Shut up, asshole.”

A clearing throat sent shivers up Jack’s spine. This was small town USA and their previous experience in Florida knew that being out in a small town was dangerous. Had he just accidentally outed them, outed Sammy? Sammy who had done so much to keep him safe the last time they were in a muggy little town in Florida? Sammy who had sacrificed so much and abandoned his life to move with Jack so they could be together? Sammy who had kept sacrificing to make sure they got to stay somewhere where they could be together even if they couldn’t be open about it?

Sometimes, Jack felt like a terrible person. Right then, Jack felt like the lowest piece of human feces on the planet. 

For his part, Sammy shifted to look at the two men in the doorway. His posture was surprisingly easy like he didn’t expect any trouble. That was odd, but really it just had Jack leaning closer to Sammy, ready to bolt should things go bad. 

The first man was short, that was his most defining feature. Dark hair and skin on handsome features pulled tight with bafflement. The other seemed just as confused, but he towered over the shorter man in front of him. Both of them appeared stuck at the entrance to the room, possibly not wanting to interrupt the moment? The tall one was relaxed though, nothing in his stance speaking of danger. The little one was a different story, his entire frame lines of tension.

Finally, the tall one broke the silence.

“Ugh, Sammy? Maybe an introduction is in order?”

The man wasn’t looking at Jack, all his concentration on Sammy. So they knew Sammy. Jack wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or even more stressed. There was a chance they would be extra understanding or they could take it personally. It honestly only made the reactions mean more and stressed Jack more.

Sammy glanced at him, eyes asking for permission. There wasn’t any worry there, just a question. Was Jack okay with this?

Little too late for that. 

So Jack nodded just slightly and Sammy grabbed his hand for support. 

“Troy, Ben,” the second name held a certain gravity. This was important. This Ben’s reaction was important.

“This is Jack Wright, my... Well, my formerly missing fiance.”

For a moment, Jack imagined it would all be okay. That Sammy’s new friends would happily celebrate with them. That their reunion would be nothing but happy. Then the shorter man pretty much exploded.

“Fiance!? Missing? Are you kidding me? You asked me to trust you at Christmas, but you couldn’t even trust me enough to tell me your goddamn fiance was missing? I could have helped! I would have helped!”

Sammy reached out, trying to reach Ben while not leaving Jack’s side. The endeavor made all the more difficult by the death grip Jack had on his arm. He’d just gotten back to Sammy, he didn’t want to let him go yet.

“Ben-”

Ben practically snarled out “‘Trust me, Ben. There’s nothing about my past that you need to worry about.’ I think a missing fiance is something I can care enough to help you with and worry about. You were hurting and you didn't trust me!"

That stopped Sammy cold, even as Ben stormed away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BLAME BEN! I WAS GONNA WRITE A PERFECTLY HAPPY REUNION AND THEN BEN WAS TIRED AND WORN AND HURT THAT SAMMY HADN'T TRUSTED HIM SO THIS HAPPENED.
> 
> Honestly, this was not a turn I expected in planning or writing but then... well. I'd been stressing how bad of a night it had been for Ben. All that shit and then to pinch at the old wound of the "Who is Shotgun Sammy?" fight by throwing Jack in the mix was just not going to end well. 
> 
> Hopefully these two n00bs let me write them reconciling without throwing me another damn curve ball.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben was outside when Sammy found him. His short frame somehow looking painfully small and fragile. Normally, the force of Ben's personality made him seem somewhat larger than life like he was taller, broader than he really was. Now Sammy just wanted to wrap him in something warm and tuck him safely inside where he could keep an eye on him and Jack at the same time.

Ben was outside when Sammy found him. His short frame somehow looking painfully small and fragile. Normally, the force of Ben's personality made him seem somewhat larger than life like he was taller, broader than he really was. Now Sammy just wanted to wrap him in something warm and tuck him safely inside where he could keep an eye on him and Jack at the same time.

He'd left Troy with Jack, every step away feeling like he dragged chains behind him. Heavens knows, literally, no one but Ben in distress could pull Sammy from Jack's side right now, but he needed to resolve this. He’d started this issue with the fight about ‘Who is Sammy Stevens’ knowing full well he'd kept an impossible amount of things from his best friend. 

Could he really blame Ben for feeling betrayed when he'd felt the same about a sentence rather than an entire secret fiance?  
Ben had called him his rock less than an hour ago and Sammy had almost immediately shattered the image of stability. No wonder Ben couldn't count on him.

Ben glanced up as Sammy approached and his shoulders hunched even further.

“I'm sorry.”

Ben's voice came out small and guilty and absolutely not what Sammy expected. It did manage to make him feel even worse about lying though.

“I shouldn't have blown up like that. You got your fiance back and I'm being butthurt over something stupid.”

Sammy couldn't stand for that. Sure, it hadn't been a good reaction but everyone made mistakes. It's not like he had hurled any of the various slurs Sammy heard growing up. He'd been hurt over trust, not Sammy's sexuality. He'd reacted based on his hurt rather than the rest of his feelings and head. Sammy had done that more than his share in this lifetime. Hell, he'd done it _the last time the fought about trust._ There was no way he was going to let this sit on Ben.

“Ben, I lied to you. I should have trusted you. I knew you'd help if I just said something and I kept making excuses anyway. You were having problems with Emily and then she was abducted and then you were busy and I just used all those things as a way to cop out of telling you the truth. Then I spring it on you tonight of all nights? I'm surprised you didn't shout at me more.”

Ben was looking up at him with watery eyes, body language open and loose hands. Sammy thought then might be as good a time as ever to pull the shorter man into his side. It was cold out and he didn't Ben freezing.

Then Sammy continued, “I should have trusted you, man. I know that.”

“Well, same. I should have trusted you wouldn't have been involved in whatever took Emily even while I was half crazy. So I'm still sorry and I'm sorry for ruining the moment.”

“Oh, Ben. It's not your fault I got panicked and mad about-”

“No,” Ben interrupted, a little bit of that Arnold fire back in his eyes, “you were right to be kind of mad at me and I get to be a little mad at you, too. Not about not coming out, obviously, you don't owe anyone that. Just that you didn't let me help when you were hurting _oh my god I didn't let you help save Emily_.”

Suddenly, Ben is pulling away. Hands coming up in a frantic attempt to pull his hair in distress. His eyes were flying again, tears swelling back to life as emotions appeared to overtake him. His voice rose in pitch, speeding up in the way Sammy knew was due to his anxiety.

“I’m such a fucking hypocrite oh my god, Sammy.”

"Ben."

"I was just- I couldn't stand the thought of them taking you or worse you getting hurt and I promise it wasn'tbecauseIdidn'ttrust youSammyIswear-"

“Ben! BEN, STOP!”

Ben's mouth snapped shut, but he let Sammy reel him in and tug him towards the door. As relieving as it was to hear Ben hadn't cut him out because he didn't trust him, Ben was panicking and shivering so bad Sammy feared he may shake right apart. 

“You saved my fiance, Ben. I couldn't care less about how you did it anymore. I'm so fucking grateful. Just, come inside, warm up before you freeze and we can talk about it when we aren't running on fumes.”

Ben was looking up at Sammy again, months of running himself ragged crashing into a terrible realization that he no longer had the wherewithal to deal with. Sammy just tugged him in closer, determined to keep Ben and Jack close to himself for the foreseeable future. They'd both been through too much and Sammy wasn't in a place to let things sort themselves out. Jack may be the one good at getting what he wanted but Sammy had picked up a few things in their time together and right now there was nothing in this world Sammy Stevens wanted more than the two most important people in his life to be happy and safe.

He was already planning how to convince Ben to sleep in his guest room while he took care of Jack. Maybe he could tell Ben he'd be helping by being there? That might work. Ben didn't like to let others take care of him after a lifetime of pushing to be as independent as possible. He'd have to get around those habits if he was going to succeed.

They stopped short of the hospital entrance as Ben dug his heels in. Apparently, Ben had already found something else to panic about, except this panic was whispered instead of near shouted.

“Oh god. I bet Jack hates me now. He'd be right, too! You were trying to share something important and I yelled at you. _I'm_ mad at me. There's no way he isn't! I just blew it with the guy you're gonna marry. I have to fix this. Does he like flowers? No, where would I even get flowers at this time of-”

Sammy couldn't help it, suddenly he was laughing. It was nice to see a little exuberant Ben Arnold still there under the stress of the night. He had little doubt that Jack would love Ben. Maybe not immediately after the outburst earlier, but eventually. He'd make Ben grovel a little, though. He was a little shit like that. Sammy blamed that on Lily's influence with no remorse.

“Come inside, we can work on that. Besides I'm getting antsy.”

Ben really was off his game, because it only then seemed to occur to him that Sammy was outside instead of in his fiance's hospital room.

“Dude! Why the hell are you out here? You have more important things than helping me panicking to be doing!”

“Well, someone had to come get your stubborn ass to come in and we all know Troy is way too nice to just carry you if needed.”

Ben stuck his tongue out, but let himself be shoved inside the building.

\---

Troy was nice enough, but every moment that Sammy was out of sight put Jack further on edge. He knew, reasonably that it was important that Sammy had gone after his best friend, but he didn't have to like it.

The distress on Sammy's face had only made him more reluctant about the kid. He wasn't a fan of anyone who hurt Sammy. Although, the very fact that Sammy felt he needed to go talk it out did speak to this Ben guy's worth. He had decided to try and remain neutral for the moment, but the longer this kept Sammy from his side, the less effective that resolve was.

He barely registered the words coming out of Troy's mouth, but it was nice to have such an obvious human presence nearby. So he let words wash over him until abruptly the door was opening and Sammy was stepping through.

Honestly, if Sammy hadn't immediately moved towards him, Jack would have figured out how to get out of the damn bed just to be closer.

Sammy took his hand this time and Jack pressed his tattooed wrist against Sammy's own. The knowledge of the matching images imprinted on their skin pulsing through Jack the way it always did when they held hands. They had been a symbol, before they could get engaged, of how much they meant to each other. A reminder that, no matter what, it was them against the world. 

Ben had followed Sammy into the room but hesitaged at the door. The kid and the height made it hard to consider him anything but a kid, looked pretty guilty. He kept staring at Sammy's back with wide eyes and for a moment Jack was struck with a very distinct suspicion.

Was… was the kid in love with Sammy?

It could explain how upset he'd been to find out about Jack. If the kid loved Sammy, then Jack had just thrown massive road block in his way. Jack couldn't blame him if he was, there was a lot about Sammy to love. There was also no way in hell he was going to lose Sammy to some brat that showed up while he was being abducted my god damn aliens. Which was pretty at odds with his earlier determination to let Sammy be happy if he had moved on. Turns out, Jack Wright wasn't a guy who could roll over when he had a single chance at salvaging the best relationship in his life.

Sammy leaning down to kiss him lightly was an effective distraction. He let it go of the thought for the moment, but he most certainly hadn't forgotten it. Kissing Sammy just came first on Jack's priorities.

He let himself get lost in the passion of even that short kiss. The roaring world drowned out by the simple pleasure of knowing Sammy loved him. It had always been a particularly intoxicating feeling. Two years certainly hadn't changed that.

Jack considered for a moment because he'd had a decision to make. Sammy was a worrier and he would undoubtedly try to follow the hospital rules to the letter without an outside push. Sammy wasn't a goodie goodie, but he certainly didn't take risks with the safety of others. He reserved risks for when it was just his own neck on the line. Jack both hated and loved that about him.

The decision was as follows. Did he let Sammy sit on the chair next to the bed and so he wouldn't get jumpy about getting kicked out or did he tug Sammy onto the bed with him? He didn't want Sammy to get thrown out, but he very desperately wanted to feel Sammy against his side.

So as Sammy had pulled away, Jack had tugged him forward until he sat half on the bed next to him and Jack could get an arm around Sammy. For his part, Sammy just looked fondly exasperated. No protest meant Sammy had really missed the contact and Jack was going to milk that for every cuddle it was worth.

“Can I...” Ben trailed off, doubt crossing his really just outstandingly expressive face. The kid would be so terrible at poker. Jack kind of wanted to play him. Establish dominance and maybe he could cut any potential crush off. If sports had tayggt 

“Can I ask how you met?”

Surprisingly, Sammy was the one to launch into their story. He was at ease with both the men in the room, absolutely unconcerned about whether they would be assholes about the whole thing. Sammy trusted these people, Jack realized, and that was rare enough in itself.

So they told their story, from a rinky-dink station in Northern Florida to the shock jock job in the big city they both loathed to the night they'd proposed to each other unexpectedly and yet at the same time like romantic fools. Both of their grins where utterly unmoving the entire time.

“I can't believe you grew up in Florida.”

Sammy launched into his usual defense of, “It’s not my fault! I didn't exactly choose to grow up in small-town Florida in the 90s. It's not exactly an accepting place. I'd much rather have grown up in California, like Jack.”

Except this just made Ben’s face go outstandingly red.

“You okay there buddy? You have your fighting face on,” Sammy said, voice soft and concerned.

“Excuse me, I have to go fight Florida.”

Giggles erupted around the room, only Sammy managed to wheeze out an answer to that statement.

“I think you're gonna have a little trouble there, Ben. It is an entire state.”

“I don't care! I'm gonna fight them!”

Maybe Jack liked the kid, after all. He'd still keeping an eye on that possible crush though, just in case.

The conversation continued for hours after that, lulling them all into a comfortable morning of camaraderie. Ben getting outraged on Sammy's behalf, Sammy laughing, Troy teasing the both of them, and Jack cherishing the delighted look on Sammy's face every time he tossed his own two cents in.

Outside, the darkness of the night was overtaken by the rising sun and on the hospital bed, Sammy pressed against Jack's side.

Days later, when they were finally home, Sammy would press against him again in a far more intimate way, both of them letting the feeling of closeness would consume them. Outside, the darkness would shift towards the window, ready to start dogging Jack Wright's every step once again.

**Author's Note:**

> A.k.a. Nightmare Scenario #3
> 
> You know what other phenomena snatched people out of their cars? The rainbow lights. 
> 
> Was Sammy hoping that when Ben saved Emily he'd get a chance to save Jack in the process? If so, how fucking wrecked would he have been when he found out Ben didn't even want him to be there?
> 
> Bonus: It turns out Jack _was_ there, and **Sammy Wasn't**
> 
> (Yes I am writing the nightmare scenarios out of order.)


End file.
